Previously he served as director of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine.

Zhi was born in Huairen County, Shanxi, in June 1953.

He eventually became secretary of the Youth League Committee of Datong Mining Bureau in September 1982.

In October 1998, he was assigned to the similar position in the neighboring Henan province in 2015.

He was deputy party chief of Henan in November 2000, and held that office until October 2005.